It was first through a very dear friend that I found a kind of awakening, a longing, a melting, a germinating seed of wanting… to be able to say I loved God like I saw this friend does. I’ve never not believed… and I am very frequently awed… and I love His Word deeply but do I love HIM? I’d have always said yes – but did I love Him like her?
If love is about the good of the other – there is nothing I can add to God’s world…
…except delight.
As I have delighted over each of our children individually – He delights in me! He rejoices over me! He has a new name for me written on a white stone in heaven (Rev 2:17) only known to Him and yet to be revealed to me… how personal, how intimate is that!?!
It’s as I dwell in the knowledge of His love for me, that my love for Him grows – which, since love is of God, means that both His love for me, and my ability to love Him in return are gifts from Him – they’re part of being made in His image and of growing more and more into His likeness.
Someday loving even the most difficult of others should no longer be hard or challenging or dry. As I grow in the love and Likeness of my Saviour, His character, already open to me – becomes increasingly my lived experience… it’s that whole grace thing – “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life”. He gives me His grace, so I can become grace so I can be and live and give grace.
Same with love.
Same with righteousness.
He made us in His image. He’s redeemed us. He’s forming His likeness within us and He will continue to perfect that which He has begun.
So do I love Him like my friend?
You know what? No. I don’t.
I love Him like Heather.
For He is mine and I am His – and so can you be – if you love Him? – Do you?
If that makes you squirm – good. It might be the beginning of a beautiful adventure.
Have a read of Luke 7:41-47
Then read it again and again till you see which you are.
If we love much – we understand forgiveness, redemption, the cost and the value He placed on saving us. If we love little – we don’t yet understand – but by His grace, because of His great love – that can grow.
Well did you?
Read it?
Go on!
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